Life Blood
by XgreeneyedelfX
Summary: Alec is stabbed and Max sits vigil watching as Alec recovers.Crappy summary, hopefully you like the story better.
1. Life Blood

Life Blood

Just a little further and he'd be back in TC. He contemplated calling Max, but she would just rag off on him as usual. He could see TC up ahead, maybe just maybe, he was gonna make it.

* * *

Max stared at the blueprints spread across the table in front of her. She was fuming, Alec was late back, Mole was complaining about the lack of weapons and to top it all off, the loud talking in the TC control room was giving her a headache.

"Anyone heard from Alec?" said Max impatiently.

"Someone say my name?" said Alec.

Alec was leant against the doorway, slumped slightly but not noticeably so, his dark jacket hiding the blood.

"Where have you been?"

"Careful Max, People might think you care."

"Maybe I do."

Alec did not push the issue. He was slowly being robbed of his consciousness. He pushed himself away from the wall, intending to leave.

"Where are you going?" said Max, her brown eyes glaring at him.

"I need to lie down." He replied.

Suddenly Alec collapsed to the ground, his eyes rolling back as he finally lost the battle to stay conscious.

"ALEC!" shouted Max as she ran to his side.

She placed a hand on his abdomen only to find it warm and sticky. She looked at her hand to find crimson blood coating her fingers.

"Oh god," she began to panic now "Alec… Alec," she said as she shook her partner.

"Someone call medical." Said Max as she desperately tried to wake her friend.

* * *

Ever since Josh had been killed, Max had made it her mission never to let another one of her friends die at the hands of her enemies.

Max sat next to Alec like she had been for the past five days. The blade had pierced his lung and he had lost a lot of blood. He was in deep shock by the time Max had gotten him to medical and Hope had wished they had gotten him there sooner. Apparently he hadn't just been stabbed, he had a serious concussion which soon developed into cerebral edima, his long scruffy hair hiding the deep gash on his head.

Max had just said, "Alec made no indication that he was hurt, stubborn ass hole."

She laughed at that, and she knew Alec would to when he woke up 'if he wakes up'. The doc's words started to eat away at her mind. 'Probably won't make', ' unlikely he'll wake up'.

"Come on Alec," she paused as she looked at the handsome transgenic "you have to fight this."

The soft whoosh of the ventilator pushing air into his long was maddening, Max had managed to block out the constant beep of the heart monitor in the background.

How had they become so screwed?

* * *

Five Days Earlier

Logan sat at his desk at the eyes only section of TC, dark bags under his eyes from where he hadn't slept properly, He was waiting for Max, hadn't seen or heard from him in hours. Was she avoiding him?

Dix entered the room with a grim look on his face. He had promised Logan he would help set up some new computers. He didn't want to, not after the news about Alec but he always kept his promises.

"Dix? Have you seen Max?"

"She's with Alec in medical?"

"Is she ok?" Logan asked, concern filling his voice.

"You didn't hear!"

Logan shook his head, he was even more worried now.

"Alec was attacked, he's in a coma. Doc says he won't wake up."

Logan sat in his chair, shock coursed through his body like a stone through water.

Logan thought about going to see Alec. They had become friends in a way, not in the traditional sense of regular phone calls and a drink at the local bar. He and Alec knew they could rely on each other if they needed to.

Later that day he did visit the transgenic. To him Alec looked so innocent and small under all the tubes and wires that surrounded him. The tube that protruded from his mouth made Logan flinch, he could even breathe by himself.

Logan had never seen Alec this weak, and he'd seen Alec weak before. After the Jam Pony siege, Alec fell ill.

*Flashback

"Things are going to be different now." Said Alec as he looked at Max stood next to him.

"Yeah, but not necessarily better."

Alec felt cold, yet he was sweating. _Oh this can't be good._

"Alec? Alec?" Max shook her friend lightly; he seemed to be in a daze.

Then Alec's eyes rolled back as he felt to the ground.

"Alec, Alec wake up."

Logan looked down to see Alec lying on the floor. He knelt next to Alec and noticed the transgenic was shivering. He placed his left hand on Alec's forehead.

"He's burning up."

"Higher body temperature."

"No he's really burning up."

Max placed her hand on Alec's brow only to withdraw it as if she had been burned.

"Oh god. We're gonna need to find a medic."

Logan nodded and then awkwardly lifted Alec into his arms. The X-5 wasn't as heavy as he though he was going to be.

"HELP, PLEASE IS HAS ANYONE GOT MEDICAL TRAINING?"

Max shouted as she walked through TC.

"I do, I was a doctor." Said an X-5 as she walked up to Max.

"Please, my friend needs help."

The X-5 nodded.

"DANNY!"

Another X-5 approached them.

"This here's Danny. He has training in first aid."

They soon found a room they could use for 'treating' Alec.

"Hes developed a high fever," the female paused "do you know what could have caused this?"

"He was shot," Logan added "and he was thrown around quite a bit too."

The X-5 nodded.

"I never caught your name!" said Max as she looked the woman in the eyes.

"Hope," Hope replied, "because its what we really need."

Max smiled and then allowed Hope and Danny to work.

Alec's shirt was ripped from his body causing Max to blush as his toned abs and muscles were exposed.

A vast array of bruises covered his body.

"Looks like he took a pretty nasty knock to the head." Pronounced Danny as he checked Alec over.

"How could that have happened?" asked Max.

"He was thrown at a pillar, went right through it."

Max had been so held up in the fight that she had failed to notice that Alec was getting the crap beaten out of him.

Danny shone a light at Alec's eyes, he frowned at the lack of response from the X-5's pupils.

"We've got a problem." Danny exclaimed as he looked up at Hope.

*End of flashback

After that Alec had been temporally blinded for a week. God he had driven them all nuts, but not by complaining but by his refusal to every ones help. The guy couldn't see anything and yet he wanted to do everything himself.

* * *

Present

"He making a little progress which is promising," Hope paused "But I do mean a little."

"Is he going to wake up?"

"I doubt it, but you know Alec. Stubborn as hell, he won't give up without a fight."

Max sank back into her chair. It had been a never-ending rollercoaster of bad luck for her and Alec lately, the murder of their friend, the near murder of Alec. Its was just one thing after another.

Suddenly the monitor next to him went wild as Alec flat lined. Max knew this moment would come.

"He's crashing." Danny wheeled the crash cart into the room.

"Charging," said Hope as she placed the paddles on Alec's chest.

"Clear,"

Alec's back arched as the shock coursed through his body.

"Nothing, and again."

The paddles went down again.

"Clear,"

Once again his back arched.

"Still nothing."

"Come on Alec," said Hope as she once again placed the paddles on his chest.

"Clear,"

The monitor began to beep again, Alec's heart beating again.

"He's back."

Max felt relief wash over her. God she hoped she would never have to watch that again.

I have been thinking about this story for a while. Hop you liked it. Please leave a pretty little review for me. (made some corrections. it should make a little more sense now.)


	2. Still He Lays

Still He Lays

The minutes turned to hours, the hours to days, the days to weeks and Alec made no progress. He remained in his coma, the erratic beep of the heart monitor never changing, never becoming a steady rhythm.

"Come on Alec, you can't leave now." Said Max as she held his hand tightly in hers.

Logan entered the room; he had come to visit the X-5 often. Checking and hoping that the next time he came. Alec would be cracking witty jokes till he's blue in the face.

"How's he doing?" he asked, fearing he knew what the reply would be.

"No change. I am beginning to think that maybe he isn't going to make it. Maybe I should let him go."

"What do you mean?"

"Hope and Danny want to turn the machine off. They say we are only prolonging his suffering."

"What do you think?" he asked as he looked at Alec, the ventilator tube horribly dominant on the X-5's face.

"I think they're right. It's been six weeks Logan. He's made no progress and I think maybe we should just let him go."

"Its your call Max. I want to believe that Alec will make it but, I think maybe they're right."

Max nodded.

"I need some time to think."

With that she got up and left.

Logan moved to the chair Max had just been sitting in.

"Hey man," he paused "you got us all grieving over you. If you have just given up then I guess you probably won't here me. But if you are still fighting, give us a sign man. Anything."

Logan waited, hoping he would get a response.

Nothing.

A single tear rolled down his cheek.

"Then I guess this is good bye."

He said no more. He just sat there. Listening to the soft click of the ventilator and the unsteady rhythm of Alec's weakened heart.

* * *

Max sat atop the tallest building in terminal city. It wasn't as good a thinking place as the space needle but then, was it really worth getting shot just so she could go there.

Her mind rolled back the Joshes death, how it affected her.

*flashback

"Max?" Alec entered the room with bloodshot eyes.

Max looked up at him, just then a single tear rolled down his cheek.

"Alec, what's wrong?"

Alec sobbed a little louder, unable to fight back the tears. Max just stood there, waiting for him to talk. Dread filled her heart. What had happened?

"There was an incident, on our supply run." He paused, unable to find the words "Josh was killed. He died saving me."

Alec fell to his knees and cried uncontrollably. Max could only stand and stare. Shocked by what she had been told.

"How?"

Alec didn't answer.

"HOW?" she screamed as she ran up to him, grabbed his jacket and pulled him up so he was staring her in the eyes.

"I was fighting off some guards. One came up behind me. He had a knife. Josh grabbed him but ended up with the knife in his gut."

Max let out a strangled gasp as she threw Alec to the ground.

"You were supposed to protect him." She said as she kicked him in the ribs.

"You fucking screw up, you got him killed." She said as she kicked him again and again.

Danny entered the room and was shocked by what he saw. Max beating Alec something terrible but he wasn't fighting back.

When he saw blood spill from Alec's lips he knew he had to stop her.

"MAX," he said as he grabbed her, trying to pull her back "MAX STOP, YOUR KILLING HIM."

"HE DESERVES IT."

"I know what happened to Josh and its not Alec's fault."

Max pushed Danny away and ran from the room.

Later she had gone to visit Alec in medical. She had done quite a bit of damage but he was going to be fine.

She had practically begged for Alec's forgiveness but all he had said was that he'd deserved it and that she was right.

But she knew she wasn't.

*End of flashback

"How do I let someone I love go?"

"Max?"

Max turned her head to face the voice.

"Dalton."

"Who do you have to let go?" he asked, fear flooding his features.

"Alec," she replied.

"Why?"

"Because he's not getting better," she paused "its been six weeks and nothing has changed."

"We just need to have faith."

Alec had become Dalton's idol, he worshiped the ground the man walked on and he couldn't bare the thought of losing him.

"I had faith Dalton. I thought he was going to get better."

Dalton nodded in response.

"I am going to tell them to turn the life support off. There's no point prolonging his suffering."

With that she stood and left. Her destination. Medical.

* * *

Once she arrived there she found Hope checking Alec's vitals.

"Still no change." She said as she looked at Max with sorry eyes.

"I want you to let him go."

"Are you sure? This is a big decision."

"I'm sure."

Hope moved to the Ventilator. With one flick of a switch it was off. The click stopped. Alec's heart stopped.

* * *

Sorry it took so long. College is manic and I have so much art course work to get done. Plus it's my birthday this Wednesday, so everyone is begging me to meet up with them, which makes a change. Everyone wish me luck for my job interview on Wednesday. Please leave a review.


	3. Not Possible

Not Possible

Max just stood there. Tears streaming down her face. The single tone filled the room. He was gone.

She watched his chest, willing it to rise and fall. It didn't.

She sobbed as she realised she would never hear his voice of look into his eyes again, the beautiful green depths that she fell for.

"I'm sorry Max." said Hope as she went to turn the monitor off.

"No. Leave it. I'll do it."

Hope knew why Max was doing this and it broke her heart. She started to remove the ventilator tube.

Max started to register what was happening as the constant flatline sound filled her head. Alec's heart wasn't beating. He wasn't breathing. He was dead and she was the one who had caused it. Alec was dead because she had given up all hope on him recovering.

Guilt washed over her like a crimson wave as she felt like Alec's blood was on her hands.

"I killed him."

"Max it's for the best."

Max could only stare at the pallid figure in the bed in front of her. Alec's unnaturally still form would haunt her for the rest of her life.

Beep…

Max jumped at the sudden new sound.

Beep…

"He's alive!"

His heart was beating. It was weak but it was beating.

Hope stood in shock but then realised Alec was struggling to breath. She put a nasal cannula on him and left Max to brood over the miracle of Alec's sudden resurrection.

*

Logan had heard about Max's decision and had come along to give her support. But all he could do was stand outside listen to the beep of the heart monitor. Then he heard Max tell Hope to do it.

The single tone soon followed and hit his ears with devastated clarity. It was over. He turned around and left. A single tear formed and rolled down his stubbled cheek.

Alec was gone and he knew Max would never recover.

*

Max sat at Alec's side. His heart was getting stronger but it was still dangerously weak. Max had faith though; she knew he could fight this. He would come back to her.

"Alec… I love you."

His heart rate spiked.

"Alec?" she paused "can you hear me?'

Alec's eyes fluttered open, revealing his unique gold-green irises.

"Max?" Alec said weakly.

Max sobbed with joy at seeing him awake.

"Did you mean what you said?" he asked

"Yeah," she paused "yeah I did." She replied as she stroked his stubbled cheek.

She had come and shaven him in the hope that he would appreciate not having a full on beard when he woke up.

"How long have I been out?" he said as he looked at her with a weakened expression.

"Six weeks, two days, three hours and forty-five minutes."

He gave her a bemused look.

'You have no idea how much I wanted you to wake up." She looked to her hands "You were in a coma for so long I told Hope to pull the plug. I didn't think you were going to get through this. You were dead for like two minutes afterwards and then your heart just started again. It was a miracle and I swear. Who ever is up there really wanted you alive."

"I know that I died. Its kinda weird really."

"What… I mean… what did you see?" Max asked, amazed that he wasn't angry.

"Ben," he paused "I saw Ben."

Max sat in shock for a moment.

"What did he say?"

"Thank you," Max pulled a confused face

"For not letting them take him and for freeing him of his inner demons. He isn't confused anymore. He said he was at peace and that he was happy."

"What else did he say?" Max said, Alec's word filling her heart with joy and sorrow at the same time.

"He said that it wasn't my time to go. He said that I have a great path ahead of me and you are meant to be at my side. He said that a war is coming and that when it comes; it will be the end of me and the beginning of you."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"How am I supposed to know? I spent the whole time shocked that my twin brother was in front me."

"Fare enough." Replied Max.

"So I guess we have a war to prepare for." Said Alec as he took Max his hand.

She was shocked at how much that weak gesture sent her heart beating a mile a minute.

"Not if I can help it. You brother said you are going to die in this war. But I'm not going to let you."

*

"Logan?" Dix said as he saw the human enter the control centre "What's wrong?'

"There's something you all should know." He paused "Alec is dead."

*

There it is, the next chapter. Sorry it took so long. I got the job and it has been a bit hectic. Next chapter should be up sooner. Please review.


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